[SBB] Vesper Sparrow/Mines Rd Area
- Subject: [SBB] Vesper Sparrow/Mines Rd Area
- From: Dean Manley <[[email protected]]>
- Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:30:07 -0700
- Delivery-date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 03:31:05 -0400
- Envelope-to: [[email protected]]
Hi SBBers,
Sorry about this late in the day posting. With forecast of an overcast day
(it was still hot) I decided to give the Mines Rd area a quick go today,
06/27. Stopping first on San Antonio Valley Rd up from The Junction I saw
an adult LEWIS'S WOODPECKER hawking insects and feeding it's single
fledgling offspring. Moving farther along the road I saw a third Lewis's
Woodpecker. A juvenile WESTERN BLUEBIRD flew to the barbed wire fence a
few feet away for my attention. I then moved to my real target, the
unlikely possibility of a lingering Sage Sparrow up the hill from the CSF
fire station. None found but I was entertained by a male Western Bluebird
and it's two fledglings, a male PHANOPEPLA with fledgling, and a
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER.
I then moved down Del Puerto Canyon Rd about a half mile (?) for a lunch
stop at about 1pm. There is a section of road with a considerable length
of parkable shoulder on the right. I parked where the shoulder was widest
with the first bridge just barely in sight. Stepping to the edge of the
shoulder and looking down into the gulch at the creek a bird flew into my
view and perched just below road level and about 20 feet away. I
immediately thought it was a sparrow but not one I was familiar with. So
sparrow type look, pinkish bill, tail was not visable, fine marks but no
bold marks or high contrast noted. Just a nondescript brownish uniform look
as viewed from the top. In a very few seconds It flew east, parallel to
the road. Holly cow, look at those brilliant white outer retrices. Wide
white outer tail stripes on a medium to longish tail must be a VESPER
SPARROW, my first. I was unable to relocate the bird. I tried again to
find it again after lunch with no luck.
My views were for only a few seconds, looking down on the bird, and in
shade. When I later checked the field guides I noticed that I failled to
detect the presence of the eye ring. The head was pointed away from me but
turned so he could watch me. I remember looking for cheek marks but I just
didn't tick off eye ring, yes or no? This gulch would not be normal
habitat but I could have easily flushed him off the road. I know this is
an uncommon bird so any thoughts of an alternate id are welcome.
Two more Lewis's Woodpeckers were scoped on a wooden power pole from this
Del Puerto Canyon Rd location.
Dean Manley
Mountain View
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